Your Heart’s Desire
February 14, 2011 by Juliet Chase
Filed under Visual Meditation of the Week
Many orchids are very small and hard to spot in lush tropical surroundings.
The same could be said for our truest dreams and desires – the ones our heart and soul yearn for.
Often we are afraid to voice them because we fear losing the dream.
What is your heart’s desire?
Learning new things
February 11, 2011 by Juliet Chase
Filed under Juliet's Journal
My first attempt at CS5's onscreen color mixing
I took Sunday off from any chores or goal-oriented tasks. Instead I played – Adobe Photoshop CS5 and metal clay. Both were surprisingly tricky! And my results show just how little I know, but it sure was fun to stretch into new areas where there are no consequences. It really doesn’t matter if I never learn to digitally paint, but it would be cool if I can!
I’ve also begun pricing the essentials for doing art shows this summer. The age old debate of spend less but replace in a few years or spend more up front and risk changing my mind in a few years. I have a bad habit of feeling it’s essential to start with top of the line materials. Sometimes, that’s a good call (there really isn’t a professional equivalent to Photoshop) and often it’s not, particularly if it keeps me out of the game entirely.
Either way, my kit will be coming together shortly…
I’m also reading I’d Rather Be in the Studio!
Gradually things are coming together!
Links to Amazon are affiliate links
Standing Tall
February 6, 2011 by Juliet Chase
Filed under Visual Meditation of the Week
It takes unshakable confidence to withstand gale-force winds while reaching for the sun.
That all starts with a solid foundation from which to grow.
Do you begin to know who you are?
The power of oops!
February 4, 2011 by Juliet Chase
Filed under Juliet's Journal
I’ve been noticing this week that I’m still learning and going over the same tasks as a year ago. But now they seem a little more streamlined, a little less complicated and have a whole lot more grunt work. That’s so exciting! Learning complicated things like marketing is almost always more circular than linear; the second or third time around the spiral you can look back and see how far you’ve come.
This week I’ve been going back over some of my website setup – tweaking and modifying based on the basic principles. Within 24 hours I could see the results in Google – and yes, I said oops! but I said it with a smile. A tiny part of me was yelling ‘why didn’t you catch this six months ago?’ but mostly I’m thrilled that I can see the difference today. I know what I need to do to continue and can now fumble in new areas. It’s encouraging and motivating. Feeling chaos settle down is an awesome feeling!
Meanwhile synchronicity has put new books and resources into my lap and I’m getting excited to expand my art marketing horizons. It’s a universal truth that all artists loath the artist statement and I’m no different – a new one will be coming shortly as well as looking at new ways to find the right audience – there’s an audience for everyone but finding them in the maze can be the trickiest part. Just knowing that someone is paying attention is the best encouragement to continue the marathon.
Life is like…?
February 3, 2011 by Juliet Chase
Filed under Pursuit of Happiness
Not too long ago I was listening to Anthony Robbins (I cringe a little to admit it but there you go) and the one thing that truly caught my attention was the implication that we live by metaphor. However you personally finish the sentence ‘life is like…” is how you approach the world, which in turn determines how the world responds to you. Or at least that’s the theory.
I thought about it for awhile, came up with my answer, and put it away since I couldn’t see any practical application for it.
Then recently – in the last few days I’ve across two people that defined life as ‘a struggle’ – both were successful, driven, and professional speakers. Somehow that metaphor sounds so very boring; Sisiphus endlessly pushing a boulder upwards – who would sign up for that? How could that motivate anyone? Of course they had a deeper point in that analogy, but still it’s missing something for me (and maybe for you too?)
The easy metaphors – a bowl of cherries, a box of chocolates, are too flat. There’s no sense of time or journey to them at all. So do those folks lack goals or a sense of purpose? I don’t know. I’m not sure if the metaphor really does anything other than define our personal values and style.
My metaphor? Life is a hike in the woods – some flat places, some switchbacks where I huff and puff and wish I’d gone to the gym, unexpected showers, surprising meadows of wildflowers and always interesting people coming and going. The metaphor sits fine with me – I can’t imagine anything happier than a long day in the woods with a good picnic and friends along. I’m still trying to see if that really does change my approach to life or not. Would I be more productive if I changed it to a battle? a reality show? Somehow I doubt it.
Do you have a metaphor you live by?
The power of connection
February 1, 2011 by Juliet Chase
Filed under Pursuit of Happiness
I came across this not too long ago and thoroughly enjoyed it – it’s a well spent 20 minutes if you feel like you could use more connection in your life.
Being In Context
January 30, 2011 by Juliet Chase
Filed under Visual Meditation of the Week
Part of understanding who we are is to understand how we define ourselves.
We exist in a series of communities that add labels: American, Canadian, agnostic, Catholic, youngest, oldest, college-educated, high-school dropout, and so forth
One aspect of looking inward is to look out and see what is reflected back.
What communities help define you?
This will be the summer of art shows!
January 28, 2011 by Juliet Chase
Filed under Juliet's Journal
Okay, that might be a little over the top but I don’t think so. Thanks to a friend, I finally have a vision in my head of how to do displays that I a) like b) can move myself and c) can afford to do. That’s been a big stumbling block because most of the big art shows require photos of your display when you apply. While I still have a long way to go to make the vision a reality I know what to do next. (wahoo!)
I’m also feeling more energized on getting involved in online communities and building those networks – I think I’m finally starting to find the ones that don’t feel so forced and where my interests align with my reasons for being there. (halleluja!)
I have one week to go before my 40th birthday. Honestly, getting that milestone past and all that I was “supposed” to have accomplished by then and didn’t (according to myself) is a huge relief. Thinking I can now focus a little more on what’s immediately in front of me. (whew!)
A Rose by Any Other Name
January 23, 2011 by Juliet Chase
Filed under Visual Meditation of the Week
Plumeria are known by many different names and symbolize different things to many cultures.
You too have probably gone by many different names; those of childhood and adulthood, friendships and formal situations.
What do you call yourself?
Greeting the Dawn
January 16, 2011 by Juliet Chase
Filed under Visual Meditation of the Week
The journey to meet the dawn above the clouds doesn’t begin on the mountain top.
It starts far below in utter darkness (around 3 a.m.)
Whether you set your alarm or not, the sun will rise.
Can you find the same certainty of faith in yourself?
